The invention herein is directed to a measuring and gauging system for use in conjunction with a vehicle body and frame straightening apparatus. Specifically, the invention is directed to straightening and reforming vehicle bodies, frames, and other parts of damaged or misaligned vehicles back to their dimensions and specifications that have been precisely laid down by the vehicle manufacturer. These dimensions and specifications are provided by the manufacturer and others in the form of charts for each and every vehicle which indicate certain reference surfaces and locations for measurement purposes. When these measurements are in correct configuration, then the chassis is straight.
In recent years automotive vehicles have been constructed almost entirely of what has been called a "unitized" body. In such a construction the entire frame and body of the vehicle are a unit assembly. Such a construction has been found to be more economical, lighter weight, and can equal or exceed the strength of a conventional frame-type automobile used heretofore. The repair of a unitized vehicle body necessitates the use of frame straightening machines which are designed to pull the damaged vehicle frame into proper alignment. The manufacturer provides "fixturing holes" in the frame of the vehicles, which holes can be utilized for measurement and realignment when damage occurs.
For these purposes, a variety of methods and devices have been proposed to indicate or measure possible faulty or misaligned dimensions on the vehicle. To correct such misaligned vehicles such methods and apparatus as those disclosed in the Finis L. Chisum U.S. Pat. No. 360,066, issued Dec. 28, 1971 and U.S. Pat. No. RE 31,636, reissued July 1, 1984 from a patent issued June 10, 1975 are used. The aforesaid patents are incorporated herein by reference.
In the process of repairing collision damaged cars, in order that frame and/or body alignment repairs can be accomplished accurately and economically, it is necessary to have available for the technician performing the repairs the following equipment:
1. A jack of the lift system to raise the vehicle to a comfortable and efficient height to allow room (clearance) so the necessary equipment can be attached to the vehicle and allow workmen clearance underneath the car to perform the needed repairs.
2. A system to anchor the vehicle to a rigid device such as a platform system, bench system, or shop floor system to counteract the pulling and/or pushing forces necessary to carry out the repairs needed to return the vehicle to its pre-accident condition.
3. A measuring system, outer and upper, and under and inner, to aid in determining repairs needed to be done to a damaged vehicle and to show the technician when the critical points on the vehicle are back within acceptable tolerance.
4. A suitable platform system designed and built to accommodate a jack system, an anchoring system, a measuring system, and pulling and pushing system.
5. A suitable system for pulling and pushing the collision damaged vehicle back to its pre-accident condition.
Heretofore, all four of the above named systems have been completely separate, requiring that they be brought together to accomplish the necessary repairs to a collision damaged vehicle. In many cases this is with great difficulty because each device is designed to do a specific job such as lift the car, hold or anchor the car, measure or gauge the car, plus a system to pull or push. In nearly all cases, the room or space and clearance necessary for the technician to perform the repairs comfortably is sacrificed. Because of the time necessary to install and synchronize most measuring systems to the car, many technicians will simply not use the more sophisticated measuring systems, except in extreme cases, which means most medium damaged or light damaged cars are repaired the old-fashioned way, simply by eye-balling, tape measuring, and fitting body panels. As a result, many vehicles are coming out of body and frame shops unsatisfactorily repaired because of the measuring systems being too complicated, too delicate, and too time consuming to be economical to use.
Many of the so-called dedicated measuring systems concentrate on accuracy, which of course is required, but with very little or no consideration given to convenience or ease of operation to the technician nor to the time necessary for their use.
Technicians repairing collision damaged cars need all of the access to the damaged area they can possibly get. Many of the prior art measuring devices hinder the technician doing the repairs because they utilize or require all, or most of the space under the car, where access is crucial. This results in awkward or uncomfortable conditions for the operator or technician.
In the late 60's, innovative body and frame alignment equipment began to show up in the marketplace; namely, the apparatus and methods shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,066 and RE 31,636. By the end of the 70's this new approach to the body and frame alignment equipment with its multiple pulling system and utilized assemblies had proven its worth in the collision body shop operations in the U.S., Canada, and some foreign countries. Because of its ease of operation, vast capabilities, and because it was unitized, it was fully set up and ready to work at all times. A minimum of set-up time for each job was required, ease of operation, vast capabilities, speed of operation, and because it is unitized were the main reasons why this new equipment was so well received in the trade. Although this new equipment solved almost all of the age-old problems of returning a collision damaged vehicle to its pre-damaged condition and most of the back breaking labor connected with auto frame work, this new equipment did very little, if anything, to ease the problems of lifting the car, leveling the car, centering the car with the equipment, and gauging or measuring the damaged vehicle during the repair process.
Although in the last few years several jack or lift devices have been developed to raise the car for inspection or repairs and several anchoring and holding devices, along with many forms of gauging and measuring systems, all of these seem to address a specific individual problem such as lifting, holding, anchoring or measuring, and none of these devices are addressed to all of these problems at once.